S’Court throws out Fubara’s appeal challenging Amaewhule-Led Assembly

The Supreme Court, on Monday, struck out an appeal lodged by Governor Siminalaye Fubara challenging the Court of Appeal judgement that affirmed Hon. Martin Amaewhule as the authentic Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly.

A five-man panel of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, dismissed the appeal.

Justice Uwani Abba-Aji while striking out the appeal awarded a cost of two million naira against the Governor payable to the Rivers State House of Assembly as the first respondent and Martin Amaewhule as the second respondent.

The dismissal of the appeal by Fubara was anchored on the withdrawal of the suit by his counsel, Yusuf Ali.

Recall that the Rivers Assembly has been enmeshed in a political face-off since 2023 when over 25 lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The leadership of the House by Amaewhule was then contested by lawmakers in a rival group led by Victor Oko-Jumbo known to be loyal to Fubara.

Fubara has since transacted business of the state with the Oko-Jumbo group while he ignored the Amaewhule faction.

Last October, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court which set aside the N800 billion 2024 budget passed by Amaewhule’s rival group.

The appellate court had dismissed the appeal filed by Fubara on grounds that it lacked merit.

The court had nullified the 2024 Rivers budget passed by pro-Fubara lawmakers and set aside the presentation and passage of the Rivers State 2024 budget.